


The Babe With the Power

by tmwillson3



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Actors, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Labyrinth References, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:14:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23156134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tmwillson3/pseuds/tmwillson3
Summary: Unknown actress Rey is chosen to star in a reboot of Labyrinth. She learns to overcome many new challenges and navigate the acting world with the help of her costar and fellow Bowie lover, the eccentric Ben Solo.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron/Amilyn Holdo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 9
Kudos: 45
Collections: Reylo Charity Anthology: Volume 2





	The Babe With the Power

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the Reylo charity anthology! I'm very proud to present it. Beautiful art by Rey-kapkeyk on tumblr.
> 
> Thank you to Toki and ksco for beta reading this!!

"Who  _ are _ you, Rey?"

Her eyebrows shot up as Ben Solo, the actor she had placed high on a pedestal for  _ years _ , plummeted in her opinion with his scornful question. 

"Think about it," he continued, his broad... _ everything _ ... towering over her. 

Ben Solo came from a long line of actors, so no one had expected his debut to be the lead on a tiny, unknown show where the doctor sang songs to patients. He won everyone over— Rey included— with his baritone voice that pulled the listener in and never let go, awakening new sensations within Rey. Taking on odd shows and movies, he was rumored to be eccentric—a true artist! It was difficult for Rey to see that though, especially after his abrupt dismissal at their first meeting. 

Rey had barely been on set for a week, taking pictures each day to not only show the places she visited, but also to record her journey of survival. Years as a young girl locked away at home with a neglectful foster father started the habit, drawing images from classrooms and field trips and fantasizing about them. She lived life through those images, imagining great scenes and epic stories. That was how she knew she wanted to be an actor. That was how she had discovered the movie,  _ Labyrinth _ . Rey saw herself in Sarah Williams, another girl like her whose life also wasn't fair. 

Rey paused to consider his words and previous question.

"I'm someone who feels very passionately about acting and the movie  _ Labyrinth, _ " she replied, trying to stay calm. 

"Really?" His tone was derisive. "So you've reduced yourself to just an actor. So did Sarah, and she still got lost," he replied, gesturing around him. "This is no ordinary film, where a no name can just walk in and expect to not be met with criticism."

Confusion marred Rey's features as she paused with her comment, not understanding where he was going. 

"I worked for  _ years  _ in unknown productions and faced criticism of all sorts. But this?" His eyes suddenly became tender. "This is nostalgia. This has a fanbase, one that is highly devoted and critical. Are you ready to deal with that for your first film, Rey?"

She  _ hated  _ his condescending attitude. "This is my dream role. This film shaped my childhood-"

"The same way Bowie has been there every step of the way for me. He was an artist ahead of his time, a true visionary taken from us too soon," said Ben,his eyes misting slightly. Rey looked up at Ben’s face, and was startled that he looked like he was about to cry. 

Was she…supposed to feel sorry for him? Comfort him? He seemed truly affected by Bowie's death, even years later. It had affected her as well—not to  _ this level _ , though.

"He was, but he lives on through his music," she said, touching his arm. "I listened to his music on repeat for three days after he passed."

He blinked several times, understanding dawning in his eyes. "Which song did you put on repeat?"

Rey nibbled her lip at being called out. "I-"

"It was 'Blackstar' and 'Lazarus' for me, but I listened to that whole album on repeat. His true masterpiece and final parting gift," said Ben, staring at the ground. "He was always obsessed with the stars; now he's among them, where he belongs."

"Like Bowie said: the 'Stars are never sleeping, dead ones and the living.' He lives on forever," said Rey. Ben stared at her in awe, as if he had just found his other half.

She motioned for them to sit, sensing he needed it. After he assessed her for a heartbeat, Ben lapsed into an awkward silence, not even acknowledging her even after asking her the question. This man made no sense. 

"It was 'Rock N' Roll Suicide' for me," Rey tentatively offered. The song had always evoked complicated emotions in her, but somehow, Ben caught the red thread, his body straightening in awareness as if she had called out to him specifically.

"Oh no, love! You're not alone," he sang, voice rising and falling as his eyes held hers with a silent plea. 

"Neither are you," she whispered, reaching out a hand.

"That song got me through my teenage years of hating myself," he whispered quietly, his hand taking hers.

She froze for a moment in surprise before warming to the contact. Did he always share his life story with strangers, or only special ones at random? Was it the Bowie connection? She thought he hated her, but now she was beginning to think not. 

"What is it?"

His concerned words tore her away from her wandering thoughts. She looked up, shocked he was acknowledging her again.

"I thought you hated me."

Rey slapped her hands over her mouth as soon as the words crossed her lips, and he laughed. She noticed his face was quite beautiful when he smiled. It brightened his whole face and made her feel lighter than ever.

"You're the first one to be honest with me about that aspect of me. No, Rey, I'm  _ trying _ to be nice," he chuckled. "I like you. You just need to be ready for this film. Amilyn Holdo has a vision, and there's going to be a lot of backlash. Do you know who you are, really?"

"Are you asking me or projecting your fears of failing Bowie onto me?" she asked, making him shrink back in shock and later stand in anger at her implication.

"I don't know. Perhaps both."

And then he was gone, just like that. No flying crystal balls or flashes of glitter. How did someone that big just disappear?

It had to be magic.

\--------------

Ben's question lingered with her long after he left. She had only performed in a small handful of plays before she stumbled into the biggest name in female cinema: Amilyn Holdo. How they both started fangirling over  _ Labyrinth _ was anyone's guess, but it happened. The rest was history. 

Holdo had big plans for Sarah, even bringing in Jennifer Connelly to consult on the reboot that would define a new generation of women. The basic premise of the original movie remained: a teenager selfishly wishes away her screaming half-brother and goes on a journey of self-discovery. The journey of redemption to save her half-brother from Jareth - a morally grey villain with great fashion sense and even better hair - the Goblin King, was perilous. Jareth took all wished-away children to the Underground, to his castle at the center of the Goblin City within a giant labyrinth. 

On the first day of shooting, Rey was determined to prove herself up to the task of playing Sarah, especially to Ben.

"Remember, Rey, you've just graduated from high school, and you're eighteen, free as a bird. Show your family just how you feel and take control of your life."

A puppet owl from Jim Henson's Creature Shop flew in and followed Sarah home. She stopped to notice the owl who always appeared during her highs and lows. 

Backstage, Ben watched, impressed by Rey's acting skills. She smoothly transitioned from moody and awkward while walking home alone from her graduation ceremony to defiant and snarky when confronted by her stepmother about her lack of love life. 

"You should have dates at your age. I'd like it if you dated, but not in those clothes!"

Ben thought Rey could give his mother a run for her money in sneering. This Sarah dressed not in fantasy-themed garb but in flannel and jeans with a baseball cap turned backwards, she wanting no part of the ultra feminine clothing because all the popular girls wore them and were never taken seriously.

"If he can't accept me for who I am, he's not worth it."

"And who are you,  _ Sarah _ ?"

"None of your business, that's who."

Did Sarah know who she was? No. She didn't want her stepmother knowing that, though, as she slammed the door to her bedroom. 

When filming paused, Ben appeared at Rey's side. "The intonation is good, but you should raise your chin more." His long, gloved fingers slid up her neck, tilting her head up until it was scant inches from his. "It makes you seem more defiant. You'll need that against me."

"T-thank you," she stammered out, her body responding to the feel of cool leather and his low voice. 

He was too close. She wasn't ready for that _at_ _all_. 

"You're captivating when you're defiant. I can't wait to see you in that dress later," he murmured, dragging a finger across her cheek slowly. "Let's hope I don't screw this up for you."

With that, he was gone, performing voice exercises, foot in hand and talking to his wall as he repeated his lines. She had never met a stranger man. 

When Rey made a wish to the goblins after finding the old, red book she used to love reading until her parents' divorce, she played the part of freaked out teenager well against the numerous goblin puppets, even managing to appear intrigued at the appearance of her owl. 

At least until the owl transformed into Jareth. 

As Ben stood there, draped in nothing but flowing black and glitter, he looked menacing, but that was it.

"Cut!" Holdo stormed onto the set. "Ben! What did I tell you about making yourself seem more sexy? I  _ need  _ sex appeal here. Do you want to star in and inspire every woman's fantasy for the next thirty years, or not?"

He rubbed a hand behind his neck. "No, er, yes? Wasn't I sexy?"

Holdo looked like she wanted to slap him upside the head. "You weren't. Try again."

The second time there was no menace and all disjointed leg movements and pelvic thrusts. Holdo was  _ not _ amused.

"Poe, get your charming butt out here and show Ben that sexy strut you do."

"Coming, wife!"

Rey giggled with amusement as Poe sauntered onto the set. Ben had the most confounded look on his face as he watched Poe show off and give "come hither" looks to his wife. 

"Now you try it on Rey."

Ben looked like he wanted to run away. Wanting to return the favor from earlier, Rey approached him, whispering, "Channel your inner David Bowie to ask me out on a date."

His eyes brightened before he smiled. "I can do that."

"What'd she say?" asked Holdo, looking between them.

Rey went back to her place. "It doesn't matter. Let's see if it works."

It did. 

They redid the scene to get their movements just right as he prowled around her, offering her all her dreams in exchange for her half-brother. When she refused, he guided her into the Labyrinth and stood behind her, whispering his ultimatum. 

"You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before your baby brother becomes one of us forever." His gloved hand crept forward, turning her head slightly so that their eyes met. "Such a pity."

After Jareth melted away into glitter at her little intake of breath, filming was done for the day. 

Rey was about to leave when Ben approached her. "Are you busy tonight?"

Was he, Ben Solo, asking her out on a date? She forgot how to breathe.

When she didn't answer right away, he looked at the ground, adding, "I'd like to practice my lines with you? If you don't mind?" He cleared his throat so it didn't crack. "You have a good feel for what I need. I'll provide the food?"

Somehow he knew her weakness and favored love language: food.

He ran through his lines obsessively, wanting critiques on every change in facial expression. He was in her personal space more often than not, and he never seemed to realize it until she pointed it out. Despite that, she knew she was starting to like the biggest, most awkward dork she knew. 

"Do you think Holdo would let us redo our opening scene together if I asked? I feel more confident." 

He sat down after a long scene of crowding Rey against a wall repeatedly; Rey had enjoyed every second of it. He smelled like leather, something purely masculine, and one hundred percent Ben, and he had openly stared at her lips half the night.

"Yes, Ben."

He sighed in relief. "Good. Acting sexy is tiring. I still can't believe women thought I was appealing in my first show."

Chuckling, she replied, "When you have a deep, velvety voice, perfect hair, and sing well, I'm not surprised."

His eyes met hers. "Do you think I'm attractive?"

She didn't hesitate. "Yes."

He moved to where she was, eyes sparkling with mischief. "They're letting me sing covers of all of Bowie's songs."

Her eyes lit up, leaning in expectantly. "Sing one for me." He raised an eyebrow. "Please."

"Since you asked nicely …"

He broke into a rendition of "Underground", and Rey was lost. 

"But down in the underground, you'll find someone true." As he sang, his body moved until their arms and legs were touching. "Down in the underground, a land serene, a crystal moon."

Rey couldn't help but notice that even there, in songs for the movie, Bowie's love of space and the stars managed to creep in. 

Ben's voice grew softer and more lover-like as he went on, the distance between their faces becoming nonexistent.

"It's only forever. It's not long at all."

His bare hands covered one of hers and cupped her cheek as her lips spread apart. When their lips touched, the moment seemed suspended in time, neither one wanting to move lest the spell be broken. 

When their lips separated, both heaved a loud sigh. Then Ben was standing up, pacing back and forth. "No. No. No!"

Rey had to resist the urge to tell him to chilly down, as it seemed like poor timing.

"This wasn't supposed to happen with you," he groaned, running his hands through his hair. 

Confusion turned to shock, then anger, propelling her up. "Why not?"

"Because I didn't want to take advantage of you. I'm rich, well-known, and-"

"I don't care."

He stopped so fast he almost fell over. "What?"

"I'm a big girl, just like Sarah. I'll make my own choices. If I want to kiss the man I've had a crush on since forever, I will," she declared, crossing her arms. "I know what I want."

His mouth gaped as he tried to understand. 

She breezed up to him. "If anything, I'm taking advantage of you." Her right hand teased a stray lock of his hair. "I could be using you to live out a power fantasy."

"That … would be different. And acceptable," he stammered, hyper-aware of her hand.

"I don't think you get it. It doesn't matter if it's acceptable to you or not. It's about me, not letting someone else make decisions for me and taking control of  _ my _ life." Rey took a step forward, and Ben took one backward in awe. "Sarah  _ plays _ at making her own decisions, but really, at the beginning of the movie, she's still a child. She's selfish and still listens to everyone's expectations, choosing to do the opposite of them. She's not in control."

"Incredible," he breathed. 

"You're not listening!" she complained, walking away in frustration. "I can't do this."

"I understand more than you think, Rey. Tell me something: are you in control of your life? Do you know who you are?"

She whirled to face him. " _ Why _ do you keep asking that?"

"If you don't know yourself, how can you know what you want, or that you're doing the right thing?"

She opened and shut her mouth, unsure how to answer. Turning toward the door, she yelled, "I'm going now."

"Thanks for the practice! It was … illuminating," he called to her back, just before she slammed the door. Then he sang softly, "You will set the world, babe; you will set the world on fire."

\-------------

Tension crackled between Ben and Rey during the next few days of rehearsals, and Holdo was  _ living  _ for it. 

Within the film,Sarah had barely made it into the Labyrinth before she ripped giant holes in her jeans from stray branches and met puppets like Hoggle and the Worm. As she slowly learned that not everything was as it seemed, she continued to be thwarted in her run, and Jareth had his first musical number. 

Rey couldn't help herself from staring; it took everything she had not to drool. She gazed at Ben in admiration as he donned a white poet's shirt, the pendant Jareth was famous for wearing, and  _ a very tight pair of gray spandex _ . 

Rey was relieved Ben wasn't paying attention to her; she was certain she had fixated on the giant bulge in his pants more than once. 

When the scene was done, Holdo walked up to Rey, and subtly quirked her eyes in Ben’s direction, whispering, "If you know what you want, take it."

Rey's mouth went dry. "I...Thank you?"

Holdo smiled kindly. "Anytime. Not all of us will get the chance, but you have a fair shot, given the way he looks at you. Ben’s always been a lone wolf."

"Has he?" Rey stared at him as he complimented the puppeteers.

"I've known his family my entire life. Yes."

Rey was so mesmerized by Ben, she never noticed her smug director walk away. She did notice, though, when he stopped talking and looked her way. She turned to hide her blush, but it was too late. He not only saw her, but an opportunity, his hulking steps making quick work of reaching her.

"Rey! I...I want to apologize for what I said the last time we practiced together. It was condescending. Could we try again?" he asked earnestly, his eyes pleading.

"Try what again?" she asked hesitantly.

"To kiss? Talk? Be friends? Practice together? All of the above?" he asked nervously.

"Friends don't kiss one another, but sure," she replied, smiling. "You're buying dinner again."

He brightened immediately. "Done."

The night passed quickly with rehearsing until she asked him to sing "Magic Dance" again.

"It was always my favorite song," she admitted. "It's so fun and playful."

"I'm surprised. I thought 'As the World Falls Down' would be it," he commented, getting into his dancing position. 

Rey shrugged. "I’m like Sarah. I've never been in love. Don't believe in modern love," she quipped, making him grin before her face grew serious. "No one's ever stuck around long enough. I've always been a loner thanks to the foster system." She opened her mouth as Ben's face turned to one of pity. "I don't want your pity. It's just my lot in life. I've wanted to escape it for so long."

"And now you have," he mused. "Are you happy doing this, or are you just surviving like you always have?"

Her mind boggled. "How-"

"We're more similar than we're different, Rey. My parents were famous, so they were never home. I was always alone, neglected. I was happiest acting, losing myself in whatever character I was given. Usually those characters have been big, scary ones, which I do well. This is," he said, waving vaguely, "different."

"Are you happy now?" she asked curiously. "Does it get better?"

"Yes. Eventually you learn to be happy in your circumstances because you love the job too much, or else you drown yourself in expensive, empty things and tell yourself you're happy," he said, coming toward her. "When you're famous, you're more in control of your life. You have power. Now, not so much. Only in the small things, in how you act and react, so you make the most of it."

She nodded, taking it all in. Satisfied, he walked back to the center of the room to begin singing and dancing. "What's power? Does Sarah have power? How does she get it?"

Rey shot him an annoyed look. Why was he asking big questions again when he knew she couldn't respond due to his singing?

"You remind me of the babe."

Both grinned as they got into it with the call and response part of the song. 

"What babe?"

"The babe with the power," he sang, pointing at her. 

"What power?" she asked, pretending to look astonished. 

"The power of voodoo." His hands flattened as he mimed hypnotizing her. 

The playful back and forth continued until Ben came to the refrain. At that point, his swing dancing lessons shone as he circled her before taking her in his arms for part of the song. With his arms wrapped around her waist and his mouth next to her ear, whispering the song, Rey finally understood what it felt like to feel safe. 

To be wanted. 

She imagined those feelings were what Sarah felt as she made friends with various creatures in the Labyrinth. Sarah went from being alone against the world to having a network of friends who were always there for her, and Rey felt like that now as she considered her time with those on the cast, but especially Ben.

She was pulled from her inward thoughts by the light peck Ben left on her neck before grazing his way up. She groaned and pulled his arms closer, effectively yanking his body against hers. 

This was what she wanted. 

"I could write so many love songs about you." He kept up a stream of kisses, talking a little between each. "About the way your eyes crinkle when you smile." Another kiss higher on her neck. "About every freckle on your face." He laid a kiss at her jaw. "About the way you make me feel and how everything comes to life because of you."

She turned in his arms and grabbed his face, kissing him hungrily. They kept on kissing and walking backwards until Rey tripped on the nearby bench. He barely caught her before she fell back onto it.

"You alright?" he asked, worried. She nodded, and he kicked the bench for good measure. "I suppose we should cut our losses and end here for the night."

Her face fell at the thought of leaving him; his face brightened in response. 

"We should. Thank you," she said before kissing him one last time. 

Rey floated home that night, and she stayed on cloud nine until the next day, when photos of her and Ben during filming were leaked online. The backlash and comments made about her alerted Ben as soon as he saw her distressed state.

"What's wrong, Rey?"

"You mentioned the fans could be bad, but I didn't think it would be  _ this  _ bad," she said, pale as he held her close. "Why won't they give it a chance?"

"This is early. The good opinions will come eventually. Listen to them and only them," he counseled. "The rest are jealous or would hate anyone who touched their precious movie. We'll prove them wrong."

He stayed close to her side the rest of the day.

Filming continued, and Sarah proved to herself that she could be clever when she thought for herself, allowing her to believe in herself a little more. Her downfall came when she got overconfident, falling into a dark oubliette. There, she was hot and covered in dirt, so she unbuttoned the long-sleeved red and black flannel shirt to reveal a shimmery, emerald green top with rippling sleeves over a camisole. After losing her hat, wrapping the sleeves around her waist, and bemoaning her state, she was saved by Hoggle. All was well until the pair ran into a blind beggar, who was, in fact, Jareth. 

Rey found that scene hard to concentrate on, as Ben was dressed in yet another pair of tight spandex pants, and the red leather jacket he wore over his broad frame did little to hide how  _ huge  _ the man was, from his hands that played with his crystal balls to the way he towered over her. 

This time, Ben  _ nailed  _ Jareth. Everything about him was designed to tempt and scare her, and Holdo couldn't stop talking about the tension and chemistry the two of them shared, especially as he captured her chin to "up the stakes" and take time away from her character to solve the Labyrinth.

He didn't leave her until his eyes traveled the full length of her, stopping meaningfully at her lips. He licked his lips, and she mirrored his action, her wide eyes enthralled by him. 

When that scene wrapped, both Ben and Rey needed cold water, and Rey was almost positive that Ben had sported more than his usual bulge. Only a film viewing would be able to confirm that since she was certain that Holdo would bring attention to the bulge, as no Labyrinth movie was complete without gratuitous crotch shots. 

Rey continued to struggle with finding her place in the world of acting as more criticism reached her. Thankfully, she made friends with the puppeteers and voice actors, such as Finn who voiced Hoggle and Poe who voiced Sir Didymus. Her favorite was Chewie, who got into a giant suit of fur to play Ludo. All of them echoed what Ben said, to ignore the critics and do what she loved.

In the movie, Sarah grew more confident as she made new friends, outsmarted the machinations of Jareth, and had her beauty and maturity acknowledged by the Old Wise Man and his hat. When Sarah saved Ludo from attacking goblins, she used her flannel shirt as a bandage for an injured Ludo and gave up on salvaging her jeans when they developed more rips. 

Sarah's journey to find herself was something that Rey had loved as soon as she heard the concept from Holdo. She loved the idea that Sarah opened up and matured by releasing layers of clothing to show the real her, the beautiful, confident woman that was being shaped. It differed from the original version of the movie, but Sarah had only been fifteen. 

In this version, Sarah was truly coming of age and letting go of the past and her childish ways to embrace herself. She helped others and befriended them, as well as learned to trust her new friends when they came to her rescue. It all led up to the Bog of Eternal Stench, where Sarah had a moment to look at her reflection and see how far she had come. 

She was more comfortable in these clothes because she wanted to wear them, not to mention felt strong and could see how far she had come. No longer would she wear clothes because of expectations or her need to be contrary. She was happier with herself as she left the Bog, and then she took a bite of the poisoned peach that Hoggle had been forced to give to her by Jareth. 

The dream caused by the peach was thoroughly updated, the ballroom more vivid, every color and sight sharpened. The surrounding dancers had more feline grace and blatant sexual imagery as Sarah found herself in a long, backless dress that was white at the top and transitioned beautifully to red at the bottom. With red roses in her hair and matching heels and jewelry, Sarah was ripe for the picking. Once she found Jareth in his sparkling blue jacket and dark pants, she was lost.

Just as Rey was. She felt powerful in the dress, a true beauty as she accepted the feminine within her and used it, seeing the power inherent in being a woman as she beckoned Ben to her. At first, he started to come close but then would disappear amid the sea of dancers, and they began a game of cat and mouse. It was rare that Rey felt so totally in charge, just as Sarah did in that moment, so when Ben did finally appear in front of her, she felt empowered to refuse him when he asked for a dance. 

In that moment, Rey saw Sarah's power clearly as Jareth gave it to her willingly in asking and then chasing after her, only adding on to what she already knew: that she was worthy. 

Eventually, of course, Jareth prevailed upon Sarah to dance with him, and those moments in Ben's arms as he twirled her and sang in her ear made Rey decide that she had a new favorite song. 

"And cut!"

Holdo's voice ringing out over the quiet set woke Rey from a most wonderful dream. 

"That was a good take. I could live with it, but I'd like to try one tomorrow, after we've had time to rest since it's late. This scene has to be  _ perfect. _ Rey, consider getting some dancing lessons from Ben so that you don't seem so awkward," suggested Holdo before walking off.

Ben looked like the cat that had gotten the cream. Tilting her head a little, Rey quipped, "If I didn't know you better, I'd say you asked her to say that."

"She  _ never  _ does me favors like that. She's as bad as Dad," he replied, shaking his head.

"Will you tell me about your family while we practice? I'll buy dinner this time."

"It's not a happy story, but sure," he replied, shrugging.

"It can't be any worse than mine." 

Rey snapped a quick photo of her in her new, favorite dress before ordering dinner. The takeout was insufficient for a Valentine's evening, but Rey hardly noticed. She was engrossed in learning how Ben's family had shaped him. 

"Since both of my parents were on Broadway, dancing is in my blood," he said, holding out a hand. "Dancing is quite simple."

"Not if you're self-conscious and have two left feet," returned Rey, eyeing his hand warily.

"Dancing is as much about being comfortable as it is about keeping up with the beat. The steps matter little for you since you're not leading. The key is recognizing what I'm saying," he said, grasping her hand and yanking her up.

"I'm a lost cause. Give up now."

Chuckling, he showed her the opening position of her hands and arms for their number. Rey couldn't concentrate when he slid his hands suggestively along her shoulder and down her arm, making subtle adjustments as he went. 

"If you can remember how to start, I'll do the rest. I promise," he whispered behind her ear. "Just hold this pose."

"For how long?" 

"Fifteen minutes. My ways are unorthodox, but effective."

"You can say that again," she grumbled, making him laugh. 

He regaled her with more stories from old dance lessons, distracting her fully. Then, he walked her through the motions of a normal waltz, standing next to her and then opposite her to show her how it felt when dancing. 

Pulling her in for a waltz, he asked, "How do you think dancers usually communicate?"

She raised an eyebrow. "With words, like normal people?"

"Try again, Precious," he breathed, his hand pushing her to the right, which she did. "It's all about the hands and arms, like what you just did."

"That's it?" she asked in shock.

"If they're a good leader, that's all it takes," he replied, smiling smugly. "You have to be willing to trust and listen to me. It takes both to dance."

"I trust you. I can't promise I'm a good listener, though-"

"You're the best listener I know. You're perfect," he breathed, leaning to rest his forehead against hers. "No one understands me like you do."

"I could say the same about you. It's almost scary how well you know me," she said, relaxing in his hold. "So this is all? Just move and follow your lead?"

"Something like that."

For several turns, she closed her eyes and focused on his movements. As his body swayed one way then another, she learned to look forward to the way his hand pushed against her, never harsh but firm. Knowing. Certain. At some point, he began humming "As the World Falls Down" softly, and she responded by leaning closer to him.

"Don't get too comfy there. Once I start singing, we're going to practice the movie steps a few times," he purred in her ear. 

She opened her eyes and glanced up. "I'm ready to be swept away."

"Good." He grinned and pushed her away from him slightly, at least for the beginning of the song. "You will be."

When she stopped moving, she got into her starting position, and he looked at her with such pride that she had to comment. "What?"

"You remembered what I showed you earlier perfectly. I'll have to reward you," he mused, tapping his chin. 

"Sing for me," she replied, looking at him expectantly. 

There was a pause between them as their eyes met, both seeking and finding what they wanted in the other. Then, he stepped forward to sing.

"There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes. A kind of pale jewel, open and closed within your eyes. I'll place the sky within your eyes."

His hands found her, clasping her right hand and gripping her waist tightly, as though he wanted her all for himself. Rey had to remind herself to stay in character for practice, not remove all distance between them like she desperately wanted to do. 

They completed many turns, his eyes penetrating her soul as he sang his heart out to her. There was nowhere Rey would rather be in that moment, as he made her feel as though she was enough, just as she was, and that he couldn't have found someone better. Over the course of the dance, it became easier and easier to follow him, her feet picking up on the exact amount of space to move as his hands steered her. Her body was perfectly at ease, and she thought she finally understood the rhythm.

When they finally stopped, it was as though she had been rudely awakened. He stopped moving and singing at the same time; she released a disgruntled huff. "Why'd you stop?"

He chuckled. "Because I've sung the song to you for at least fifteen minutes, and if I do much more, I'm liable to be hoarse." Her contrite, horrified look spoke volumes to him. "Plus, you're much too involved in  _ me _ that you've forgotten what you need to do next in your scene."

"I need a clock," she insisted, slightly defensive. "It woke her up."

He lifted an eyebrow skeptically. "I'll set an alarm to go off as I sing this time."

"I'll remember."

He smirked and stepped away to grab his phone. When he was ready, he started the song to give his voice a break. Rey remembered her starting position, and the dance was too short in her mind. When the alarm went off, she hated it as she maneuvered her body free of his grasp and found a chair to shatter the bubble of her peach-induced dream. 

They prepared to leave after that, he patiently waiting for her at the exit. When she was almost there, he asked, "Do you think that Sarah fell in love with Jareth during that dream, or vice versa? Or perhaps both?"

She grinned as he touched upon one of her favorite topics. "I've always believed Sarah started to develop a crush on him then. He opened her eyes to the wider world of men, that there could be good ones."

"What of him? Surely he loved her by then after she kept beating him at his own game," replied Ben, opening the door.

"Yes. I think that was the beginning for him. It may have started as a trap meant to distract her, but he always seemed far too sad to see her go. Anger and annoyance would've suggested otherwise, but he was sad. He probably didn't know he had feelings for her then," said Rey, smiling brightly. "That was the beginning of the end for him."

"How so?"

"Love is strange. It makes us do irrational things, but most importantly for this story, it radically changes the dynamic and power imbalance between Sarah and Jareth."

"Is that so?" he asked, grinning. 

Rey was pretty sure he had no idea what he was saying and that he was only interested in knowing because she was so into it. She didn't care; it was something she loved dearly and loved talking about. 

"Yes. You asked once if Sarah had power, and if so, how she got it. This was the beginning of it. He unknowingly gave her power over himself by developing feelings for her."

He was thoughtful for a moment, and then he nodded in agreement. "You make love sound quite dangerous in that light."

"Yes, a little," she conceded, staring at her shoes. "When you come from my background, It's some part of why I have had few relationships."

"You just need to find the right person to trust." He took her and squeezed it. "Sometimes you can't help yourself."

She secretly hoped that was how he felt about her. She was aware that she liked him, but her feelings for him were progressing faster than she had expected. They were only fast-tracked during filming the next day when they came in and performed a flawless dance. 

"Cut! That was beautiful, you two. The chemistry is smoking, and there'll be no doubt about the two of you on-screen. However, the more I watch you two, the more I think something needs to be changed. Another small addition." Holdo came forward and put arms around both, shoving them together. "Stand closer to one another, like this. Let's use that chemistry to our advantage and really sell this ending. Now, do your magic."

"It seems we could've practiced closer together after all," whispered Rey into his ear.

"We should have. I would've preferred it." They adjusted their positions to start, and then he had a thought. "When I first watched this scene, I thought of 'Heroes' as they danced. Just for one day, for that moment in the ballroom, they are greater together."

Her mouth gaped, and she was unable to form a reply before she was given warning that filming was starting. This dance was even more intense for her, and it took every ounce of her concentration to not lose herself in him as he stared at her with naked longing. 

When the clock came into view, she would've forgotten, were it not for a sharp pinch from him. The dance ended, and both looked emotionally wrecked as he tried to hold on to her, she torn between staying and finding Toby. 

After the scene was finished, Rey took Ben aside. "Thank you for that at the end. I was …"

She drifted off, afraid of admitting what she felt. He cupped her cheek. "Don't be afraid. I feel it, too," he whispered. 

It was enough to make her heart flutter, and those swirling emotions morphed into love. She was falling, and she wasn't sure where she would land when she was done. 

Ben Solo was slowly turning her world upside down, and she was actually excited about it. When she went to take a selfie of the ballroom set, she noticed Ben watching her curiously, as he always did when she took photos or selfies of seemingly random things. 

For the first time in her existence, she let someone else into her private world because love did that. However old-fashioned it was, love changed and strengthened people, imbuing things with new meaning. It dared others to care for those around them, and most of all, it dared Rey to change her way of caring about herself. Signaling him forward, he jogged over.

"What is it, Rey?"

"I like to take photos of all the new places I see. I've lived my life through pictures for so long; I want to share it with someone else," she explained, putting an arm around his waist. 

His arm twined itself around her as he leaned in so his lips were almost touching her cheek. He was getting his glitter all over her, and for once, she didn't care. 

She took the photo, and she loved it. Loved the way they seemed so close and were genuinely happy. Even though she was jealous of his perfect hair, she wouldn't have changed a thing. Now, she wanted more photos with him, and she actually liked explaining and showing him all her drawings and photos taken over time. 

\------------

Ben's presence was one she learned to lean into in the days that followed. Her social media presence was growing without meaning to. Paparazzi now followed her, and she wished she had more privacy. Ben was good at showing her tricks of the trade to deal with it, and she understood why he had cautioned her at the beginning. 

Her passion was enough for her; why wasn't it for everyone else? Why make so much fuss over her? It made her question if she wanted to continue to be an actor as the glitz and glamor of her dream slowly fell away, showing the uglier, dirtier side of fame. 

The next scene involving Sarah was one of the most radically different ones from the original film. It started the same as Sarah woke up in a daze, not remembering anything until she saw the peach in her hand. Then, the pieces and dream slowly came back to her. As she came to terms with the fact that her life had changed because of that dream, she threw away the peach, rejecting the dream for something real.

The peach hit an ancient-looking, female goblin. "Why don't you look where you're going, young woman?"

Sarah looked about in a daze. "I was looking."

"Eh? And where were you going?" The goin crone waddled forward with baggage on her back, seemingly ready to give it to Rey.

Rey continued to look about dreamily. "Don't remember."

"You can't look where you're going if you don't know where you're going," said the old crone carrying junk.

The words were as much for Sarah as they were for Rey. Where was she going in her life? What did she want? She was an actress now, achieving her dream of a life of adventure. With it came the price of fame. Fame, the force of nature that made one think things over and separated the girls from the women. It was sometimes hard to swallow, and Rey wasn't used to it yet. 

Was it all worth it? Had she made the right choice?

Soon, the scene in the movie transitioned into the moment where things changed the most, as needed by the narrative. Where Sarah had rejected her childish things and ways by declaring it all junk, it was not as simple this time since she was older, with different struggles. Sarah still wandered into the safety of her room, relieved and ready to think the Labyrinth was a fantastical dream. But then the door opened, and multiple creatures entered this time, transforming into classmates of hers, as well as the goblin hauling junk that became her stepmother.

"Sarah, what are you wearing?"

Her stepmother's tone had so much judgement in it, and the three popular girls nearby looked between her and the objects in her room.

"Williams, you actually look somewhat normal, even feminine," said one girl, making Sarah do a double-take and realize she was back in her ripped jeans and gauzy top. For a second, she felt that peer pressure, that need to hide her real self to fit in. 

"It's s-something a little different," stammered Sarah, backing away toward her dresser, where a pile of clothes lay. She could hide behind those, go back to the comfort of doing what was expected of her.

Her hands brushed against a small, red book lying on top of the dresser. It awakened  _ something  _ in her.

Toby. 

She was older, more mature because of him.

Her new friends. 

She was stronger because she wasn't alone.

Jareth.

She had power, and something more.

"What are you looking for, Sarah? More flannel?" asked one girl scornfully.

Sarah bit back her angry retort until she realized she  _ did  _ have a voice. "No." She picked up the book and slipped it in her pocket. "I don't care about your opinion. You're trying to tell me who I am."

She stepped forward until she was toe-to-toe with her antagonists. "I'm Sarah. Me. Only  _ I _ know who I am."

As Sarah's index finger poked the chest of each girl, the images crumbled into goblins who scurried away. Emboldened by her newfound voice and power, she turned to her stepmother, the source of much pain and emotional baggage. 

"I, Sarah Williams, have gone on a perilous journey, outwitted a magical king, and made friends. True friends," she said, bringing out the red book and shoving it in the face of the seemingly taller, older woman.

Rey always added in her head that Sarah had also been admired by said king, and that let her see that there was more to her than she thought. 

"I am more than enough as I am, however I look. Whether I'm wearing this," she motioned to her new look before grabbing a flannel shirt, "or this doesn't change who I am. I'm Sarah."

The feeling of shame and insecurity she often felt had transformed into something else. The transformation came to life on-screen, various parts of the walls falling down and large objects falling apart as she rallied against each person who seemed to want to hurt her.

"I'm eighteen, and I'm in control of my own life, whatever that choice may be." Sarah eyed her shocked stepmother and poked the woman's chest, the goblin slowly disappearing as Sarah began a monologue. "I have hopes and dreams of becoming an artist. I will be my own person-"

She stopped speaking as the door fell down in front of her, showing a view of the Goblin Castle.

"And I have to save Toby!"

As Sarah stepped away with her newly claimed identity, she made her way into the Goblin City to rescue Toby with the help of Sir Didymus and Ludo. 

The cutaway scene to Jareth as he stared stonily at a bubble containing an image of him dancing with Sarah, hiding it when his subjects approached him, was changed from the original, much to Rey's delight.

"Sire, the girl who ate the peach and forgot everything-"

Jareth's ears and face perked up, even as he tried to sound bored. "What of her?"

"She's past the gates and inside the city. She remembers everything!" cried the guard. 

"Don't just stand there; capture her! Stop her, and hide the baby," he commanded, his entire being changing at the news that she remembered. 

Rey loved that Ben managed to make the King look relieved that she remembered all, and that he seemed happy about the news, even as he made his plans. 

The group of friends faced an army of rather incompetent goblins, and friendship and forgiveness won the day as Hoggle returned, redeeming himself from giving Sarah the peach. When the group of friends finally made it to the castle, all volunteered to go with her to face Jareth, but she refused.

"No. I have to go alone. That's how these things are done."

"Very well. But, should you need us…"

"Yes, should you need us-"

"I'll call," said Sarah with tears in her eyes before hugging them. "I know I can count on you now."

Filming wrapped for the day, and Rey was giddy in preparation for finishing the movie and having her last scenes with Ben. She didn't look forward to the day when she didn't see him every day, but she'd deal with that when forced. There was an energy about the set that day, and her new friends from the movie invited her out for drinks, all wanting to hang out one last time before filming ended. She tried to invite Ben, but he was gone, nowhere to be seen.

She enjoyed her time with her friends, but she missed Ben. Worse, at the restaurant, people recognized her. The fame was becoming too much, and she didn't want it now, saying as much to her friends that she'd end up going back to England after filming to do smaller projects. The small ache that started when she discovered Ben already gone only grew through the night as she considered never seeing him again, and it didn't go away until she saw him again, dressed handsomely in claret and black, matching his poofy, jet black hair well. The vest looked stunning, and the tight, black pants were back in rare form as he walked across the set.

Rey could only watch, noticing how he seemed to avoid her. It seemed that he didn't like her as much as she had hoped.

The tension between them on-set gave Holdo more material than she knew what to do with as Sarah walked through the M. C. Escher-inspired room full of staircases in every direction. 

"How you turned my world, you precious thing. You starve and near-exhaust me."

As Ben sang his dark, angsty song to Rey, she couldn't help but wonder how much of it he really felt about her. It felt too real.

"Everything I've done, I've done for you. I move the stars for no one."

There was that mention of the stars again, that love of stars and space that Bowie never forgot. It fit well for the two of them as seemingly star-crossed lovers, on opposite sides. She had always imagined that even on separate worlds, Jareth would reach across the stars for Sarah if she called to him.

She wanted Ben to move the stars for her, to reach across them and choose her as Jareth chose Sarah.

"You've run so long; you've run so far. Your eyes can be so cruel, just as I can be so cruel." His haunted eyes seemed to beg her to reconsider, to choose him instead. "Though I do believe in you. Yes, I do." He reached out a gloved hand. "Live without the sunlight." His hand stroked a single lock of hair before stopping at the bottom, just above her heart. "Love without your heartbeat. I, I can't live within you."

He offered her his hand. She couldn't breathe. She wasn't sure she'd ever recover as she tore herself away to jump off a stairwell to save Toby instead of taking Jareth's hand. As she fell, the room fell apart, and Holdo chose then to stop so that Ben had a chance to change.

"And cut! That was sensational! We won't need another try at that one. Ben, do the magic hand thing with your crystal balls and change faster."

Ben didn't dignify that comment wit a response, instead slamming and locking the door behind him as he changed. Soon, he was ready, and Rey clenched her legs together at the delectable sight he offered in all white, his cape of feathers soft and enticing, his pants tighter than ever. 

The man was going to ruin her for every other man in existence, and she didn't care. 

"See something you like, Rey?" he asked, smirking as he went to the doorway.

"As a matter of fact, yes, I do," she replied, making him stop and take in her pink cheeks and heaving chest. Neither one dared to breathe, let alone move.

"Good."

The final confrontation between them had even more sexual tension as the two eyed each other with long, hungry glances. 

She stood her ground. "Give me the child."

"Beware, Sarah. I have been generous until now, but I can be cruel." He took a step forward, eyeing her as she approached him in turn. 

"Generous. What have you done that's generous?" 

"Everything!" he bellowed, stepping closer. "Everything you have wanted, I have done. You asked that the child be taken. I took him. You cowered before me; I was frightening. I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for  _ you _ ." There was no one else as the distance between them became nonexistent. "I am exhausted from living up to your expectations. Isn't that generous?"

Defiantly she stuck out her chin to repeat the words from her red book. "Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City for my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom-"

"Stop! Wait," he urged, holding out a hand. "Look, Sarah. Look at what I'm offering you: your dreams."

Sarah pushed his hand and crystal away, showing that she would accomplish her own dreams, not accept passively what was offered as she had done for so long.

"And my kingdom as great," she finished, fire in her eyes.

His eyes were soft and vulnerable, his voice pleading as he took away, down a step, putting them at the same height. "I ask for you so little. Just let me rule you, and you can have  _ everything  _ that you want."

She started to repeat her line again, trying to remember the last line needed. As Ben stepped closer, hope shining in his eyes with a face held hostage by fear, Rey wanted to say yes, to take his hand and the crystal to end each of their suffering.

But that wasn't to be.

"Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave."

Her eyes held his with new resolve as soon as he said love. She paused, just for a moment, her head shaking in disappointment at his notion of love as she stood straighter, knocking the crystal out of his hand.

"You have no power over me."

As the crystal fell, Jareth's mournful eyes blinked, and the clock chimed thirteen o'clock, signaling the end of Sarah's time in the Labyrinth and her final triumph. Everything in the room melted away as Jareth turned into the owl puppet of the beginning of the movie, and Sarah was transported home.

Even after the director stopped taping, all were silent as Ben and Rey exchanged hurt looks and ragged breaths. They didn't stop until someone stepped in between them, breaking the spell.

Right before Rey rushed out, a hand grasped her wrist.

"Rey, is it true? Are you going back to England after this? Leaving this?" he asked urgently, voice cracking.

_ Leaving me? _

She nodded, willing herself not to cry. She shouldn't cry over him; they had never had anything besides a few stolen kisses and some magical moments dancing. It couldn't be more. 

"Yes. It's too much. I thought this was what I wanted, but it isn't. You were right."

"I didn't want to be," he said, taking one of her hands. "I want to see you again. See you grow stronger and more popular. See you-"

"Then come to England," she said brusquely, pulling her hand away. "How do you deal with all this fame?"

Hanging his head, he said, "I've accepted that I'm deathly afraid of screwing up Bowie's character, as you astutely pointed out. However, I'm doing my best, and I have the best people working with me. That is enough;  _ I _ will be enough because of it. I'm making something I'm proud of. I hope this will be for you, too. It's been an honor working with you," he said, bending and kissing her other hand. "I'll miss you."

Her chest constricted as he walked away, her heart pounding and making her unable to feel or hear anything else.

Had she been wrong? Did he care about her?

He believed in her. He would miss her.

Did she believe in herself? Yes. Was she happy with her performance? Yes. Would she be happy doing anything else? No.

Then why run away from the very thing that brought her joy, from all the things that brought her joy?

She would miss him. She wanted him.

She loved him.

She had to try.

He was halfway to the parking lot when she began sprinting, calling his name until he stopped, eyes guarded and body poised to flee.

"Do you agree with Jareth's words at the end?" she asked, bending over to catch her breath.

"No. That isn't love. It's too selfish," he said, grimacing. "He loved her, but he wasn't willing to let go of control enough to compromise. Why?"

"As romantic as his words are, I agree with you," she said, facing him. "There can be no real love unless it's between equals."

"He wasn't willing to lower or humble himself," he said, remembering how their movie would end.

After vanquishing the foe, Sarah went home and called upon her friends, telling them that she needed all of them. All invaded her room for a raucous party, except one.

Jareth remained an owl, sitting on a branch just outside her window until everyone left, humble and defeated. When Sarah saw him, she went to her window and stuck out her arm in an open invitation with a hopeful face, their eyes at the same level. A moment passed between them as they stared into one another's eyes, Sarah smiling and choosing to welcome him in. 

Choosing him.

The movie ended with the owl flying in, a shadow of a man appearing before he was embraced and kissed by Sarah, a new love song written by Ben - inspired by Rey - playing in the background. 

That hope imbued in the movie lit Rey's eyes as she stepped forward to take what she wanted. "Yes. Power is a heady thing, just like control. It's something we all want."

"Agreed. But?" he asked, his cautious looks becoming something warmer.

"But love is a great equalizer and allows us to let go of those things to hold what's most important. It lets us reach across impossible distances or even across the stars to find that person who matters most," she said, tentatively reaching out a hand. "It is not self-seeking and rejoices in the truth."

"The truth?" he asked, his hand wavering.

"Yes. I wanted to spend last night with you, and you weren't there," she said, voice cracking. "I wanted you, not them."

He took a deep breath. "I was afraid."

"So am I," she admitted, hands shaking. "But I've experienced something recently that I never felt before." She laced her fingers with his, meeting his eyes as he gulped. "Love. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things-"

"Like us?" he asked, his grip tightening as his other hand sought hers and captured it.

"Yes," she breathed. "Like us."

"I love you, Rey," he said softly, his hand bringing hers to his cheek to nuzzle against it because touching hers. Both sighed in relief at the contact once more. "Ever since you quoted 'The Stars (Are Out Tonight)', I knew I loved you."

She took a steadying breath. "I'm not sure when I fell, but at the thought of leaving you, I couldn't. I've always been so afraid to have my heart broken, but you're worth it, Ben. You'll always be worth it," she said, kissing him. "I love you, too."

They held one another, she resting in the crook of his neck as he kissed her forehead.

"Thank you, Rey."

She pulled her head back to meet his eyes. "No. I'm the one who should be thanking you. You've done so much, been there for me, asked weird questions, and forced me to look at myself. I  _ do  _ want to act. I am more than just an actress, though," she said, smiling widely.

"You are. You're much more than that," he said, kissing her softly.

"Yes. I'm Rey, and that's enough for me."

"Good. You're all I want," he said, cupping her chin.

As she leaned to kiss him again, she whispered, "I'm the babe with the power."

"Always."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!!


End file.
